First Tundra...fingers crossed

Just picked up this 2002 with 270K on the clock. I previously had a 1997 4 runner, so I thought I would take a chance on this for $1800. The rust over the rear wheel wells is the only issue, with I will address soon. Paint could be better, but it is 20+ years old. Frame is in good shape and I am not sure when the TB was done last, so that will be another project soon. Hopefully this 3.4 runs as long and well as my old 97 4runner did.

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Ooof, you'll want to start working on rust remediation ASAP.

Just to get caught up, in the event you didn't go there already, pop over here.

That paint is very salvageable btw! See link in my sig.

 

Looks like it has good bones. Welcome aboard!

 

PS - you have a regular cab "Crackie" twin over here with @Tundra2 https://www.tundras.com/threads/crackhead-resurrection.94083/

 

Threw some different wheels on the old girl. Made a world of difference in the look....at least I think so!

 

Now do the headlights and throw a few coats of this stuff on the black trim, letting it fully soak in and dry between coats, and you're set.

 

The frame looks awesome, but the bed looks pretty crusty in the front right corner in addition to above the wheel wells. Before you undertake rust repair, you might want to check salvage yards. I don't know your location, but for reference here's one on carparts.com that's semi-local to me in New England.

https://imageappoh.car-part.com/ima...yota Tundra Pickup Bed Assembly-Stock# 372029

They don't have a price listed for the bed, but if I was in your position and I could get a rust-free bed in a matching color for, say $500, I'd do that in a heartbeat rather than trying to repair the current one. The bed has to come off for the rust repair anyway. If the salvage bed was $1500, I'd probably pass and go the repair route. But it seems it may be worth an internet search and a few phone calls.

 

Thanks for your advice, it is much appreciated. My plan for now is to have my body guy fix the bed. For $1500 he said he can cut out the bad parts on the fenders and weld in metal then paint the bed. He'll do it right as he is my normal body guy that works on my classic cars also. I may look at replacing the bed down the road, but it will be a truck I rarely use if I keep it and it will be kept in my offsite garage when not in use. The timing belt/water pump will also be getting done in a few weeks along with valve cover gaskets. She should be a solid reliable truck for many miles after that.

 

I wouldn't read what @tvpierce is saying at just face value. While you could definitely have a body guy get in there and do the repair then re-spray with single stage in 056 "Natural White" (since anything with clearcoat is never going to match due to mismatched gloss, I don't care what your body/paint guy tells you), there's some concern to be shared about having a rusty bed hanging over a fairly clean frame, rust begets rust. I'm also thinking about where the bed mounts to the frame.

But anyway, I think you'll see a measurable difference dropping a couple hundred bucks on new rear shocks, maybe some Bilstein 4600s or 5100s out back? Current ones are looking pretty crusty, maybe original? If so, long overdue!

 

I do have some new shocks for the rear as you are correct, they are getting pretty crusty.

 

Just me, but if I had the choice between a rust free/paint-matched box or a rust-repaired/repainted box for the same price... I'd take former all day, every day, and twice on Sundays.

I think that's what The Shifty One was getting at too. @shifty`

 

Definitely. I mean, in my neck of the woods, finding a similar aged bed - especially in white, which is a hugely popular color - is significantly cheaper than body work and paint, even at my "homey hookup" rates. Unless you know for a fact you're in an area where everything is going to be rusted out. Even if you found a bed that's thrashed but the wheel well arches are good, you'd save hella fabrication time alone by cutting the donor arches out for the body guy.

But rusted body vs. rusty frame? I'll take rusty body all day long.

 

+1

 

I appreciate the input from you two. Ideally, yes, it would be nice to put a clean bed on, but up here in Indiana, I haven't found any parts trucks or any beds within a couple hundred miles that are not shot. I'll get the rust repair done, but continue to look for a bed.

 

I hear you, bear with me for one more sec while I throw more unsolicited advice at you - sorry! If you know you'll get work done anyway, you may want to look into aftermarket flares or trim to cover over the existing rust, as a stopgap solution.

 

Well, got the bed repaired with new metal in the fenders along with new paint. The timing belt/water pump is also done with an Aisin kit. Next up, redo the drum brakes. She is coming along.